ATLANTA, GA (GBGM). The largest—and perhaps most diverse—class of missionaries assigned at one time to international ministries was commissioned here Dec. 10 at Cascade United Methodist Church by the General Board of Global Ministries.

The thirty-six women and men, who come from all six continents of the world and are being sent to places of assignment on every continent, are United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian and members of autonomous Methodist Churches in Ireland and Korea.

Reflective of the trend toward mission "from everywhere to everywhere," this group includes a Ghanian couple assigned to Denmark; a Korean family who will serve in Kenya; a Philippine native being sent to Cambodia.

According to the Rev. Edith Gleaves, Deputy General Secretary of the Board's Mission Personnel Unit, "These 36 new missionaries have been selected and enabled to serve in international and inter-cultural contexts. In doing so, they will be channels of God's redemptive activity on behalf of humanity and the world...and will be giving their lives in sacrificial love and service."

The newly commissioned missionaries, their home annual conferences, and places of assignment include:

David Armitage, Methodist Church in Ireland, assigned as Director of Mission Outreach, East Belfast Mission, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Linda Armitage, Methodist Church in Ireland, assigned as Community Worker, East Belfast Mission, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Vicky M. Bigony, Florida Annual Conference, assigned as a teacher, Imanuel Methodist Church School & Wesley School of Theology, Jakarta, Indonesia

Rev. John A. Calhoun, New York Annual Conference, assigned as a pastor, Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy, Moscow, Russia

Helen L. Camarce, Philippines Central Conference, assigned as Area Financial Executive, Philippines Area, Manila Philippines.

Dr. George B.M. Carew, North Georgia Annual Conference, assigned as a professor, GCNN Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Jos, Nigeria.

Nancy A. Carew, North Georgia Annual Conference, assigned to Women's Leadership Training Center, Zing, Nigeria.

Eun Ha (Grace) Choi, Presbyterian Church in Korea, assignment pending.

Jae Hyoung Choi, Presbyterian Church in Korea, assignment pending.

Rev. C. Dale Clem, North Alabama Annual Conference, assigned as a pastor, Lithuania United Methodist Church after completion of one year of language study.

Rev. Kelly A. Clem, North Alabama Annual Conference, assigned as a pastor, Lithuania United Methodist Church after completion of one year of language study.

Ariel D. Robledo Collins, Western North Carolina Annual Conference, assigned as teacher of English as a Second Language, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Rev. Michael W. Collins, Western North Carolina Annual Conference, assigned as Country Director of Missions, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Mrs. Milika P. Finau, California-Pacific Annual Conference, assigned as Staff Coordinator, Methodist Center for Abandoned Children, Nausori, Fiji.

Rev. Dr. Matini Niponi Finau, California-Pacific Annual Conference, assigned as a lecturer, Pacific Theological College, Suva, Fiji.

Rev. Jeffrey A. Hassell, Western North Carolina Annual Conference, assigned to Language Study, Building Coordinator and UMVIM Coordinator and Pastor for Lithuania United Methodist Church.

Maria Estela V. De Hudy, West Michigan Annual Conference, assigned to Rio Colorado Agricultural High School, Bolivia.

Peter S. Hudy, West Michigan Annual Conference, assigned as Director, Rio Colorado Agricultural High School, Bolivia.

Rev. Barbara Smith Jang, West Michigan Annual Conference, assigned as Coordinator of International Programs and Chaplain, Mokwon Methodist University, South Korea.

Rev. Dr. Norman C. Kao, Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference, assigned as Coordinator of Disaster Ministry, The Methodist Church, Taiwan.

Sue C. Kao, Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference, assigned as Coordinator of Women and Children Ministry, The Methodist Church, Taiwan.

Ms. Anne A. Kolbe, Western North Carolina Annual Conference, assigned as Coordinator of Community-Based Primary Health Care Work, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Emelia Kyeremeh, Danish United Methodist Church, assigned to Children and Women Evangelism, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Joshua Kofi Kyeremeh, Danish United Methodist Church, assigned as lay pastor to Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Immigrants, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Rev. Dong Su Lee, Wisconsin Annual Conference, assigned to Pioneer Evangelistic Work, Korean Christian Church in Japan, Hokkaido, Japan.

Mrs. Woo Hee Lee, Wisconsin Annual Conference, assigned as Facilitator for Cross-Functional and Cross- Cultural Interaction of Women and Children, Korean Christian Church in Japan, Hokkaido, Japan.

Ms. Vilmar Villa Martinez, Middle Philippines Annual Conference, assigned as National Coordinator of English as a Second Language, Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia.

Suzanne E. Porter, Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, assigned as Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Central Asia.

Rev. Jose Orlando Rivera, California-Pacific Annual Conference, assigned as a pastor, Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church, Argentina after one year of language study.

Yolanda Rivera, California-Pacific Annual Conference, assigned as a Community Developer, Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church, Argentina after one year of language study.

Rev. Chung Suk Song, Korean Methodist Church, assigned as pastor, Methodist Church in Kenya, Mombasa, Kenya.

Mrs. Hyung Ran Song, Korean Methodist Church, assigned to Women and Children Education, Methodist Church in Kenya, Mombasa, Kenya.

Rev. Chris Stockwell-Goering, United Church of Christ, assigned as Pastor, Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church in Argentina after one year of language school.

Martha Stockwell-Goering, United Church of Christ, assigned to Community and Family Ministry, Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church, Argentina after one year language school.

Dr. Kalindi Thomas, Church of North India, assigned as Coordinator of Community-Based Primary Health Care, Asia/Pacific Region.

Ms. Devorah Umipig, Philippines Annual Conference, assigned as Social Worker, Kotobuki Chiku Center, Japan.

During the Service of Commissioning, the missionaries received the traditional laying-on of hands and an anchor cross necklace, reflective of early Christian iconography. Bishop Marshall Meadors, retired episcopal leader of the Mississippi Annual Conference and currently bishop-in- residence at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, presided during the service.

Other worship leaders included the Rev. Gleaves; Dr. Russ Richie, Dean, Candler School of Theology; Rev. Allan Kirton, Director, Mission Resource Center; Rev. George Lanier, Associate Pastor, Cascade United Methodist Church; and Rev. Yvette Massey, Associate Pastor, Cascade United Methodist Church.

The 36 persons were commissioned following a four-month period of preparation and training at the Mission Resource Center, a cooperative effort of the General Board of Global Ministries, the Interdenominational Theological Center and Candler School of Theology, Emory University. The training includes Biblical and theological foundations for mission, spiritual formation and development, academic course work, cross-cultural study and contextual research on countries of assignment.

The General Board of Global Ministries, the official mission agency of The United Methodist Church, supports more than 2,100 mission personnel serving in 60 countries around the world.

December 11, 2000

| Top | Missionary Biographies | Search | GBGM News | GBGM |